Welcome

We are all responsible for creating the world we want for ourselves, and for future generations. So we must ask ourselves, what are we doing to make the world a better place?

That question is pertinent not just for individuals, but for organizations, since organizations can contribute significantly to sustainable development.

Every year, Ford has made important sustainability progress. Our South America region, for example, advances in line with our One Ford plan, which is enabling us to offer consumers a lineup of vehicles consisting entirely of global products by 2015. Consumers will benefit from models that meet global standards for technology, safety, comfort and design. These vehicles also meet high environmental standards, as evidenced by their excellent performance in tests performed by CONPET/Inmetro, a Brazilian program that measures the efficiency of vehicles’ fuel consumption.

We are also improving the sustainability of our production processes. The modernization of Ford plants in South America has resulted in several environmental benefits, such as reductions in water and energy consumption. The new paint process used in the production of the Ford Fiesta in Sao Bernardo, for example, uses fewer solvents and has fewer potentially harmful emissions.

Ford South America’s implementation of our global One Ford strategy has also allowed us to demonstrate the capability of local engineering, with the development of a second global product at the Ford Development Center in Brazil. Our engineers work as a team, contributing ideas and solutions that allow Ford to be recognized as an innovative brand in our region.

Because the health and well-being of our employees is also important to our business, we launched a health program called Viva Bem that benefits all of our employees in South America. Viva Bem focuses on four pillars of health: movement, nutrition, health promotion and zero dependency.

Ford South America also continues to support initiatives that seek to promote the well-being of the communities in which we operate. It is rewarding to see the difference our employees can make by donating their time and skills to programs aimed at creating a more equal society. We have opened the doors of our plants to disadvantaged students, for example, so they can gain firsthand experience with the automotive industry. And we support institutions that provide basic items, such as food, clothing and medicine, to improve the lives of the needy.

Last year, our Ford South America Operations continued to deliver major achievements, and we will do our best to ensure we are recognized, more and more, as an efficient company with a truly sustainable future.

Best regards,

Stephen Armstrong
President, Ford South America